JOSE RIZAL AS A MASON - Rizal's prime encounter with Freemasonry occurred when he was in Spain, where he made the acquaintance of some liberal and republican Spaniards who were mostly Masons. He admired the way these Masons scrutinized and criticized the methods of the government and criticized the haughty friars, a freedom which could not be practiced in the Philippines. Eventually, in 1883, Rizal joined the Masonic lodge in Madrid which was called Acacia. His central motive in joining the society was to secure the aid of the Freemasons in his battle against the abusive friars in the Philippines. Since the friars used the might of Catholicism to oppress and persecute the country's patriots, Rizal intended to fight them with Freemasonry. On November 15, 1890, Rizal became a Master Mason in Lodge Solidaridad in Madrid. Two years later he was awarded Master Mason in Paris by Le Grand Orient de France. Some of his comrades including Graciano Lopez Jaena, Marian